Saturday, June 26, 2010

One of my recent photo shoot adventures was in Costa Rica. An amazingly talented group of Connecticut based vendors (see below) teamed up with MMH Public Relations and Stay in Costa Rica- a luxury tourism company based in Costa Rica, to put together several inspirational wedding shoots. Here is the finished product from day 1, as featured on style me pretty.

The shoot took place at Playa Hermosa, a black sand beach along the pacific coast in Herradura, Costa Rica. Michelle and Alejandro were a stunning local couple that agreed to be our bride and groom for the day!

Here was my inspiration for the fashion for shoot: "The opportunity to work in Costa Rica was a dream come true! The lush jungles, stunning beaches and rich culture inspired me to keep the attire very natural. The accessories that we used were made from wood and shell. We brought in a small touch of sparkle, because every bride needs some! The bridal gown by was by designer Augusta Jones. I selected it because it had a very organic feel to it. The silk chiffon fabric was perfect for the beach setting and the touch of metallic embroidery at the neckline had an ethnic feel that made it perfect for Costa Rica. The bride’s jewelry and headband selected for the shoot were by Maria Elena. Both contained accents of mother of pearl.The bridesmaid was outfitted in a satin yoryu dress by Vineyard Collection. I loved the vibrancy of the color of the dress, but also the amazing flow that the fabric had. We accessorized the dress with wooden bangles from ben amun to bring in a natural element."

To read inspirations from some of the other vendors involved in the shoot click here.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

At the end of March I had the amazing opportunity to fly off to Paris with my friends and colleagues, Robert and Kathleen Trenske , Candice Dowling Coppola from Jubiliee Events and my dear friend and partner in crime, Sarah Gleason (aka: Marshie) to put together and style a photo shoot in Paris! Clearly, it was a dream location. I cannot think of a better group of people to explore the city of lights with—the creative energy was flowing like the seine and it was an experience of a lifetime!

Candice and I worked on coming up with a design board for our shoot, as we usually do, and were really inspired by a photograph that Robert and Kathleen took on their first trip to Paris. We wanted to do a monochromatic, black and white shoot, where the images felt like classic black and whites - even in color. I really think we achieved that! I had a vision for fashion that was heavily influenced by runway, vogue, and of COURSE Sex in the City and Candice pulled together romantic and unique elements for a fabulous tablescape.

Throughout the process we worked with Kim Peytet of Parisian Events, who helped us source all the wonderful Parisian venders that collaborated with us! Kim introduced us to so many wonderful people who I will introduce YOU to throughout this post! We could not have pulled this shoot off without the efforts of Kim!

During our short (count 4 days!!!!) time in Paris, we did two days full of shooting and one day full of scouting. The other day was the day we all arrived—so we really hit the ground running! This shoot was recently featured on Style Me Pretty, and was part of Robert and Kathleen’s brilliant photography seminar for international wedding photographers – Taking Off.

Kim secured a beautiful apartment for us to work from and for Robert and Kathleen to teach. It had a roof top deck that overlooked the eiffel tower, where Candice put together an amazing tablescape with the help of several talented people! The morning began with hair and makeup… our model, Segolene, is positively beautiful. Hair and makeup was covered by our new friend, Masafumi Matsuda, who also doubled as our Japanese / Parisian tour guide on day two. =) If you are looking for beauty while in Paris– look no further!! Masafumi is absolutely amazing!!! I styled Segolene in the most stunning Modern Trousseau gown (before it hit the runway at bridal market) and jewelry in layers, and layers of decedent pearls and diamonds!

Candice styled the gorgeous tablescape with white linen from our friends at Rentals Unlimited. The best part? They company's president happened to be in Paris (randomly) while we were there, and stopped in to say hello! It truly was an East Coast destination. They also provided the lace-styled chair caps and white napkins. Catherine Muller put together a beautiful white and green arrangement in an antiqued pedestal. The arrangement was very gardeny, filled loosely with calla lilies and other beautiful white flowers. She did an amazing job! The paper flower garland from Kate's Paperie down the center of the table was absolutely brilliant! We got the table set up just in time to get a few quick shots before it started to pour rain. We took that opportnity to take some stunning shots of our models indoors. At the first break in the weather, we made a mad dash to the eiffel tower to end our shoot. We are so glad that the weather held off for us so that Robert and Kathleen could capture these stunning images!

Keep watching the blog for images from our shoots on day 2 when we shot in a traditional parisian cafe, in the metro and in the hills of Montmarte overlooking the city!

Sunday, June 06, 2010

There is still time to RSVP to this wonderful event! Don't miss your opportunity to meet Karen Bussen, author of the simple stunning series and have her sign the most recent addition to the series~ simple stunning bride...celebrating your style all the way to the big day.

The cover and images from the book were shot here at The White Dress by the shore and owner Beth Chapman contributed to the chapter on selecting your wedding gown. Here is a sneak peak at a few of the top tips:

1. "Secure your wedding date and venue before you select a dress."
2. "Set a budget that includes the extras, like foundation garments, alterations and accessories."
3. "In selecting your wedding attire reflect your personal styles, not the trends."
4. "Skip the entourage- bring only a couple of people who are close to you to limit opinions."

To read more of Beth's tips and Karen's other words of wisdom, join us on June 9th from 6-9 when you can purchase the book! During the event you can also enter to win a one on one planning session with Karen during a quaint lunch at the historic bee and thisle inn.

At the event we will also be kicking off our Modern Trousseau trunk show that runs June 10th -13th by appointment. Designer Callie Tein will be on hand to launch her 2011 collection.

It will be a fun evening of fashion, delicious food and all things bridal! Don't miss it!

Sample Sale Collection

The White Dress by The Shore offers couture gowns and chic accessories for brides, mothers and maids in the quaint atmosphere of an antique home. We make the day that you select your gown as memorable as the day you wear it.